Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-27
JUDGE WILLIS CASE.
Text OF The Document Which Is Being
Circulated By the Friends Of
Judge Willis.
Hon. j. N. Browning Makes n Clear and
Full Statement In Regard 20 tho
Whole Matter.
Special 10 the Gazette.

AUSTIN, TEX, Jan. 26.-Hearipg that
there would be some interesting develop
ments come to light in COS nection with
the charges against Judge Frank Willis
/ OF tae Panhandle District, your reporter
has for the past three days been on the
lockout. Seeing it limited st in tie Dali
las News of the 25th that Judge Willis
friends were circulating petition with
Hon. James n. Browning's name at
tached to it, your reporter at once
! plunged into the depth OF this matter
and his evening resurrected the docu-
meht and presented the following YER
5&,im copy Of 1t to Mr. Browning:
! To whom it may concern: Our atten-
ton mas been called to certain criticisms
made 10y the Attorney General rejecting
! upon Judge Willis cone, rning the trial of
certain cases pending before his court in
the Panhandle District We deem it but
L matter of simple justice and right that
the public may know the status of the
cases referred to and the proof adj
duced upon the trial The psrties were
charged with illegally fencing the public
school lands. The following was the
proof adduced upon the trial thereof, in
which we were engaged for the defense
snd the STATE, to-wit:
The State of Texas, No. -, vs..
Charles Goodnight seven cases, G. A.
Brown six cases, j If AIRING on six cases,
j. Il. Pope six cases, II. V. r e six cases,
A. s. Nc CHIMNEY six cases, A. C. Sherrick
SIX cases; that the defendants had ere cted
three lines OF fence partially around the
lands, but the ends of said lues
were joined on to the cap
rocks of the Poladuro canon,
thus making q gsp of some eighteen
miles IN which there was no fence except
that formed by nature, to-wIt: the said
cap rock or ridge OF the canon. In the
cases b. B. Pope ct al, the evidence
agreed upon and introduced on the trial
showed gap of about twelve miles in the
fence, thus lacking that distance Of max
ing an Enclosure around the land. In the
otner cases tried, not including the de-
PENDANTS Goodnight and Coleman, the
evidence agreed upon and introduced
upon the trial showed that the defendants
had not built and did not own the entire
fence but only part of the same, the lice
Of fences not owned by the defendants
being those built by other parties for the
purpose OF inclosng other and
different lands. We state further that in
cur opinion there was no conviction be-
cause II the evidence falling to show in
any OF the cases complete Enclosure OF
the alleged land, and for the further rea-
son t7at the penalty is go high that jury
would require clear and undoubted proof
of guilt before they would convict. The
conduct of the court was fair and impair
tial, and his charges contained the cor
rect law of the cases tried
Signed w. II. WoODMAN.
District Attorney Thirty first District
Il. A. Brown, Attorney for Defendants.
was not counsel in the cases against
A. G. Sherrick, G. j. Knott, ct al, j. S.
Car, Mat Swearirger and Pat Wodforth,
above mentioned, and was not present at
their trials, and cannot say as to what
facts were proven, but the remainder of
the above statement is substantially true.
Mr.. j. n. Browning was then asked
what he knew about it; the following is
mis- sta .ement in full:
Judge Willis and Mr.. Woodman, the
District Attorney who prosecuted these
cases, came to Austin few days before
Governor Ross was inaugurated, and this
document was presented to me with re-
quest that l sign it. l refused to comply
with the request, and gave as my reason
for so doing thst l was satisfied that
there would be an Investigation ordered
by the Legislature, and having been of
tor defendants in some of the
cases the signing of this might be mis-
construed. | informed Judge Willis
that | would take no stock in
the matter on either side. On Saturday
before Governor Ross inauguration
Judge Willis requested me to see the At
torney -General or any other party propos-
ing the 1--we stigatiOn, and get them to hold
UtI until Tuesday that he might have time
to consider the question OF rendering his
This | did aud the matter
was held of. Tuesday came and Mr..
Goodnight and Judge Willis came to nv
room aud stated that he had determined
10 resign, and asked if l would then sign
t and did so. Tnereupon Judge Willis
wrote out his resignation and read it to
ne, aEd stated that he would present it
20 Governor Ross that afternoon. A
treat effort he's been made to make me
axe hand on one side or the other
If this matter, hut l have persistently
'efuSed to do it, my reasons being as
Ioove stated. Ny connection with the
Eases in court put me in an attitude that
would make more or less criticism if |
ook sides. l am willing to be investi-
gated with the others and let the whole
natter come 10 the public's eye.
Mr.. Browning thinks the News reporter
hould at least have gwen him 9 chance
o have told tae facts as far as his con-
lection with the matter was concerned.
Ex-A;torGey- General Templeton was
cen ana Shown the document. He said
lie knew nothing about the facts proved
'etore the juries. He had called atten-
ion to this matter in the reports, and
pom these reports Attorney General
iogg based his indictments against
udge Willis.
This matter is stirring up considerable
interest, snd it is thought that Judge
Willis and his friends are trying to bias
ublic opinion in his favor by circulating
he above document, and taking advantage
f Hon. in. Browning 's generosity in try
lg TO do all he could to amelorate the
ceiling against Judge Willis in view of
is resignation on the 18th of January
lst.